Thursday, February 7, 2013

A recent WBTV report on Glenn Singleton, a racial equity consultant whom Superintendent Heath Morrison may hire to work with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, left viewers with a cliff-hanger.

Singleton

The story opens with a quote from Singleton regarding white teachers: "White teachers, I go even further, white middle-class teachers. Okay, and the call for these educators to be able to in a culturally proficient way serve black, brown and American Indian students."

Astute viewers, not to mention English teachers, may note that these are sentence fragments lacking a verb. What, you might wonder, was Singleton trying to say about these teachers?

The snippet comes from a 30-minute interview with Singleton that has been making the rounds. It was posted Jan. 7 on IntersectionsRadio, an online station affiliated with the White Privilege Conference. You can listen to the whole thing (be prepared for some poor audio, including brief dead air at the beginning) or go to about the eight-minute mark to hear the interviewer, Eddie Moore Jr., ask Singleton about white teachers' "ability or inability" to serve increasingly diverse groups of students.

Singleton puts them into three groups: First, veterans, some of whom are "counting down to their last days" and may be reluctant to change their principles and beliefs to better meet the needs of students of color. "I can't say that phenomenon is limited to white teachers," he notes.

The second group is mid-career teachers, he says, for whom "this new population and these new mandates create a new challenge for them. I have been heartened by the number of white middle-class teachers, particularly female teachers, who have risen to this challenge."

Finally, he describes brand-new white teachers who arrive enthusiastic but unaware of the culture their kids come from. Their egos may keep them from learning what they need to know, Singleton says: "The world has told them that they're bright and they're capable, yet they're facing a problem that no one in our society has yet been able to institutionally figure out."

The interviewer then poses a challenge to Singleton: Should young black males be kept out of the hands of young white teachers? Could racial segregation actually help such students?

Singleton's answer: "I want to see a skilled, qualified teacher who not only believes in the educability of the students that he or she is seeing, but has the tools and the wherewithal to bring that student to standard through instruction. I'm not as focused on whether that teacher is white, black, brown (or) multiracial."

That's similar to what Singleton told me when he visited Charlotte in December, meeting with education advocates and community leaders to potentially prepare the ground for work with CMS (read my January article here). He, Morrison and school board members have all told me there are teachers of all races who can succeed with students of color -- and teachers of all races who are failing them.

How Singleton speaks about white teachers -- and how they perceive it -- will be important if he's hired, given that 71 percent of CMS teachers are white. Morrison, who has worked with Singleton in two previous districts, insists his work isn't about blaming or driving off white teachers.

Having read Singleton's two "Courageous Conversations About Race" books, I can attest that it is about bluntly addressing the role of whiteness in holding back students of color, which seems to be the message intended by the WBTV quote. Singleton's views are also more nuanced than a news report or blog can convey.

Whether Singleton's views will become part of Charlotte's discussion on race remains to be seen. Morrison had originally said he'd make a decision in January. Now he's saying "very soon."

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comments:

I have an idea for Singleton--quit talking about teachers and become one. Better yet, encourage your black male and female counterparts to become one too. I am a white female teacher who taught in one of Charlotte's poorest, black schools and happened to love it. We don't need hypocrites like you telling us what to do. For the most part these children who need help don't necessarily need it in the c,as room, their teacher often gives them more love and attention than their own parent. Quit harping on teachers and get to the root of the problem--their parents. Do yourself a favor and be a role model or go volunteer.

It doesn't matter if you are a Black, White, Brown, Yellow, Green or Purple teacher. This is a problem our SOCIETY has created. By blaming the teachers we are just covering up the root of the problem, which is why our society has made it acceptable for people to believe that you do not have to respect authority and not work hard for success.

To mr Divider.....whant to see the real problem? Go to any PTA meetting...you,ll notice who paricipates....then go to a Basketball or Football game and tell me you wish you had the same parents there! And before you labeled me white....soy lo que ustedes llaman hispanic o Latino...i prefere to call me where im from Peruano! My hispanics kids are well served and educated as it is by current white, black, brown, yellow or whatever rainbow color you wish to label a PERSON! Sadly, I noticed black teachers are not at Par and most of them do carry a chip on their shoulder.

Are white doctors not qualified to operate on black patients, because their racial bias may prevent them from delivering an equal level of service to black patients?When does this racial bias theory end?Ridiculous.

It speaks volumes that the current Superintendent would even consider the opinions of this shyster. This man is a black child's worst enemy. What does "culture" have to do with a child learning reading, writing, and arithmetic? Nothing. It has everything to do with a lack of parental character, a lack of stressing the importance of education,a lack of teaching or even understanding that you must work for what you get, and a dependence on the "whitey just wants to hold me down" crutch. This man isn't worthy of carrying the book bags of most of the dedicated educators that give these children more attention than their absent parents ever will. You should be ashamed of making your way on the backs of these children with your drivel, sir. It doesn't seem that shame is culturally relevant to you. That must be the fault of some white, middle class teacher who failed you at some point. Right.

David Duke's alter-ego is now directing CMS? Keep up the victim mindset, as I'm sure the Chinese will care very little when they control our country in the near future. These gimmicks also show PT Barnum was correct, a sucker is born every minute.

What an absolute moron. And our school system paid money for this?? Mr. Morrison, why did you select an African American male to do the racial consulting, why not an Asian female? Or a white female? This boondoggle was loaded from the beginning. Mr. Consultant, would you care to address why African American males drop out of school and run into problems with law enforcement at a much higher rate than any other demographic group? Is it the white female teachers' fault? Give me a break... It's a parenting problem that no one wants to address. And the majority of the problem isn't white female parents... They are actually the minority on this one...

What Singleton, PEG and all the "anti-racists" out there have given us is a world-view which cannot be questioned rationally by design.

There is no way, in their belief system, that a white person CANNOT be practicing some form of white supremacy.

That is just a given.

You cannot question their assumptions without being labeled a racist, so no one questions their assumptions.

At least if they want to remain in good standing and on the payroll.

From there they build mostly on anecdotes to build their case.

However, the bottom line is that their little "program" has not been shown to do anything to improve the "performance gap".

Never. NOWHERE. NO PROOF.

Of course, they always have an excuse because "systemic, institutional racism" is something that NO ONE can change.

Good thing is that the Supreme Court is on to this crap and recognizes that school systems which buy too heavily into PEG propaganda (as Seattle tried) get slapped down.

And, yes, I have seen the actual Supreme Court justice opinions on this...

Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle

In an opinion by Justice Roberts there is a nice excerpt from the school webpage quoting this "white privilege" crap as an example of what schools shouldn't be allowed do.

I hope any white teacher who feels insulted or intimidated or in any other way harassed by the likes of Singleton and his flunkies files discrimination lawsuits.

The problem is not so much in the "nuanced" message Singleton has learned to deliver over the past 20 years as the "interpretation" given by many school districts in the wake of his indoctrination.

Under the tutelage of PEG, Singleton and other "anti-racists", overly zealous teachers and administrators become a bit like all those terrorists who always seem to "misinterpret" what their religion says.

All while the religious leaders laugh at how easy it is to get the gullible flocks to carry out their real agenda.

I believe strongly in racial equity and equality. But blaming teachers is not the answer. The problem is that too many children of color come to school and reinforce the worst stereotypes that white and non-white teachers bring with them. Poor children of all backgrounds arrive at school over a year behind behaviorally and academically and it is hard to catch up. Strong preschool programs help, but McCrory just appointed a director of preschool programs in the state who does not believe in preschool.

...Finally, he describes brand-new white teachers who arrive enthusiastic but unaware of the culture their kids come from. Their egos may keep them from learning what they need to know, Singleton says: "The world has told them that they're bright and they're capable, yet they're facing a problem that no one in our society has yet been able to institutionally figure out."

"Egos keep them from learning what they need to know". Okay Singleton, what is "it" they need to know?

Notice Singleton keeps the ball in the other court and never in his. No one has "institutionally figured out" the problems, yet somehow he is an expert on white teachers versus other ethnicities and how to teach them but there is no answer? LOL...really?

He also says: Singleton's answer: "I want to see a skilled, qualified teacher who not only believes in the educability of the students that he or she is seeing, but has the tools and the wherewithal to bring that student to standard through instruction. I'm not as focused on whether that teacher is white, black, brown (or) multiracial."

Wait. You're "not focused on a teacher's ethnicity" yet you're damning White teachers over their inability to tech someone of a different color?

This guy is a certified hypocritical racist.

In CMS, there are approximately 4,235 "American Indian/multiracial" students. With 9,221 teachers, each teacher would have 2.2 AI/MR students.

So what different skills should all 9,221 teachers have to teach American Indian students what the answer to 2+2 is? Is it a different language? What?

Perhaps Singleton believes every White teacher should be like Barbara Billingsly, aka June Clever in the movie Airplane, who jumps in to talk to the brothas in jive since no one else can understand them?

Supreme Court Justice Thomas is on to the Singleton/PEG "anti-racists"...

Note the VERY SPECIFIC references to Singleton/PEG/"anti-racist" terminology as examples of why local school boards should not be trusted to make race-based decisions.

Also note the reference to the "White Privilege Conference".

ALL ARE EXAMPLES OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT OUT OF CONTROL ON ITS "ANTI-RACISM" KICK.

At least as Supreme Court Thomas sees it...

Watch these clowns and be prepared to sue if they step over the line.

You just might win.

From Footnote 30, pg. 35...

THOMAS, J., concurringSUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES _________________Nos. 05–908 and 05–915_________________PARENTS INVOLVED IN COMMUNITYSCHOOLS, PETITIONER05–908 v.SEATTLE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1 ET AL.

Indeed, theracial theories endorsed by the Seattle school board should cause thedissenters to question whether local school boards should be entrustedwith the power to make decisions on the basis of race. The Seattleschool district’s Website formerly contained the following definition of“cultural racism”: “Those aspects of society that overtly and covertlyattribute value and normality to white people and whiteness, anddevalue, stereotype, and label people of color as ‘other,’ different, lessthan, or render them invisible. Examples of these norms includedefining white skin tones as nude or flesh colored, having a future timeorientation, emphasizing individualism as opposed to a more collectiveideology, defining one form of English as standard . . . .” See Harrell,School Web Site Removed: Examples of Racism Sparked Controversy,Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 2, 2006, p. B1. After the site wasremoved, the district offered the comforting clarification that the sitewas not intended “ ‘to hold onto unsuccessful concepts such as melting opinion).More recently, the school district sent a delegation of high schoolstudents to a “White Privilege Conference.” See Equity and RaceRelations White Privilege Conference, https://www.seattleschools.org/area/equityandrace/whiteprivilegeconference.xml. One conferenceparticipant described “white privilege” as “an invisible package ofunearned assets which I can count on cashing in each day, but aboutwhich I was meant to remain oblivious. White Privilege is like aninvisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports,codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks.” See White PrivilegeConference, Questions and Answers, http://www.uccs.edu/~wpc/faqs.htm; see generally Westneat, School District’s Obsessed with Race,Seattle Times, Apr. 1, 2007, p. B1 (describing racial issues in Seattleschools).

I have to believe that many successful black Charlotteans (in banking, law, architecture, etc) most likely do not believe what Singleton is preaching. Yet we don't hear a word from them. Ann, perhaps it would be helpful if you interviewed some of the many upper middle class blacks in this community to see what they think about this. Of course, they may not be willing to speak their minds--years ago a very successful black woman, still a leader in the community, told me that her peers all understood why white parents did not want their kids going to school with "thugs" (her words). "We feel the same way" she said, "but politically we don't dare say that."

I am a parent of an Africia American male in CMS. I am very involved in my child's education and I do my part as a parent to ensure that he is prepared for class, complete assignments,and I volunteer at school etc. However, the question that is being posed is very real and a reality in my son's life. I constantly have to stay in communication with the teachers and advocate for my son because most white teachers do not know how to relate to Africian American males and they are not trying to acquire the skills necessary to motivate them, and encourage them to be sucessful. CMS needs to offer the training necessary to these teachers to help them understand the culture of different students. They need to be trained on how to adpat their skills to the needs of the children. That is the expectation of anyone that is in authority. Why should it not be required of educators.

This is what CMS needs this Mr. Singleton to go around and blame it all on race. Heath Morrison I kid you not if you want to reduce CMS by 10-15% of the white population hire this knucklehead. Your GPA at CMS will also fall around 20 points as well. The entire system will buckle and you cannot bring it back. Get a clue and dont make this a "race game" which it is not and should not be.

8:40, I spoke to Dr. Ron Carter, the upper middle class black president of Johnson C. Smith University, at length about his strong support of this approach. He obviously hasn't let race hold him back, but he believes it is a factor in his and everyone else's life. I'm not saying he can speak for all in his socioeconomic group; I believe there would be a range of views.

John, in this case I think you have to blame the sentence fragments on journalists trying to turn a rambling spoken comment into something that would fit on the screen. I speak from experience when I say almost no one speaks clearly, concisely and grammatically all the time.

Here's a courageous conversation about race for Mr. Singleton. As a Vance H.S. parent it was disturbing and quite telling to me, when my one son, a senior, came home angry that his black english teacher decided to teach about Malcolm X when the curriculum called for teaching the works of Edgar Allan Poe. It also bothered him that the same teacher was always playing the race card in practically every class. He said that her "obvious race bias was disgusting". And now the lesson...my son is one of three black brothers that I, a white parent, adopted. The pernicious and perverse focus on race is the problem. Dr. King looked forward to a day when color would no longer matter, only character. Take note Mr. Singleton. Your racially biased language does his memory and his legacy no service.

Ann, It seems to me that Ron Carter is very much a politician as President of JCSU. He doesn't seem to want to rock the boat in the black community, as least as far as culture goes, but doesn't mind poking the white community. How about finding some successful people who aren't trying to make points with the press, NAACP, black politicians, etc.

"I favor integration on buses and in all areas of public accommodation and travel…. I am for equality. However, I think integration in our public schools is different. In that setting, you are dealing with one of the most important assets of an individual -- the mind. White people view black people as inferior. A large percentage of them have a very low opinion of our race. People with such a low view of the black race cannot be given free rein and put in charge of the intellectual care and development of our boys and girls."

Folks, we finally have a state government that can get us out of this death spiral of our public education system. Petition state legislators to create a law that of all funding a LEA (that's a school district converting eduspeak into layman's terms) gets that 90% must go to the schoolhouse. This will strangle discretionary money these educrats get that they just funnel around to consultants and think tanks creating future jobs for themsleves when they leave a superintendent job. Currently CMS schoolhouses get about 75%.

So white people can tell every other race what is wrong with them but the minute someone speaks out about the perfect docile white race they have a problem ? Really? The white race who murdered men , women and girl Mative Americans . Enslaved Africans here for centuries . Raped , tortured , murdered burned alive men, women, and children for centuries cannot be questioned . The race who used the Bible to justify slavery is above being questioned. The race who did not want integration , created sundown towns , raped black women for centuries , lynched thousands , involved in race riots , etc is flawless? When did white people become so flawless that no one can question your behavior? Your denial is your pathology .

@ 8:51 am. Let me just say, my comments is to share that this topic is real in CMS. I see it with my son. The skills the teachers need to acquire to help children of color be successful are needed for not only my son, but for Asian, Hispanics, Latinos, etc. It is an acquired skill set. As a manager I am required to understand diversity. Educators should be required as well. They are impacting these children's lives and they need to be accountable.

I have had to remove my son from a CMS school because the the racist sterotypes that were being imposted on him at the age of 4. As a parent I would not subject my child to that, because this was his first impression of school and I needed that to be positive. Currently, I had to discuss with a teacher why she seperated him from his peers and did not communicate or discuss it with his parents. If there is a issue in the classroom it needs to be discuss with his parents. As a parent I need to be aware of any issues in the classroom, so I can support the teacher and ensure my child is performing and behaving appropriately. I was not afforded that opportunity in this situation, however, did the teacher consider how this visual seperation would impact my son and his peers (his self esteem, how his peers viewed him,etc). This is an issue and it needs to be address and if you close your eyes to this you have a closed mind to the silos that have been created in CMS and our soceity. You are obvious not a person of color because you are opposed.

You're seriously blaming your school's white teachers for not being able to motivate or relate to your kid? Since when were teachers expected to play the parents? Oh, yeah, since this whole "white privilege" crap started, and since test scores for urban kids have continually dropped after billions of dollars are pumped into propping up failing school systems. The job of a teacher is to TEACH -- not talk about LeBron James' last game or Beyonce's latest attention-grab or whoever the rapper-of-the-month happens to be. Why should a kid need special "motivation" because of the color of their skin?? They either want to learn what is being taught, or they do not. Teachers are not being paid to be life coaches.

My kid was in CMS for half a year, and that was one half a year too long. I feel for the teachers that have to put up with this kind of criticism after already suffering enough in the classrooms trying to teach unteachable kids, who are doomed from the start because of their lack of a normal family life at home.

Are you trying to drive what few dedicated white teachers are left out the door? Stunts like this will certainly accomplish that. CMS is a typical government school farce, and is destined for failure. Eventually the only kids left in CMS will be the unteachable, lost kids. You lost most of us long ago. A lot of us had to attend CMS and put up with the busing charade that did nothing for our education but teach us that because we lived on the other side of town from school, it was our obligation to ride the bus one hour each way to go to school with kids who didn't give a flip about school in the first place.

You want to call white people hyper sensitive? You cannot fathom the disgust, anger and resentment I still have from the lost years I spent in CMS during the busing years as a white pawn in the government's game, in the name of "equal" education. The few good teachers I had did not make up for the abuse, bullying, classroom disruptions and torturous daily bus rides I suffered. So yeah, I am very "sensitive" when it comes to con artists like this spouting his racist bull crap.

Can you imagine a white person coming out and saying that black teachers should not be teaching white kids because they can't relate to them, or better yet, were unqualified? LOL wow. Just wow.

"From the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz to Meg, the good witch from the Meg and Mog children's books, witches have always dressed in black.

But their traditional attire has now come in for criticism from equality experts who claim it could send a negative message to toddlers in nursery and lead to racism.

Instead, teachers should censor the toy box and replace the pointy black hat with a pink one, while dressing fairies, generally resplendent in pale pastels, in darker shades.

Another staple of the classroom - white paper - has also been questioned by Anne O'Connor, an early years consultant who advises local authorities on equality and diversity.

Children should be provided with paper other than white to drawn on and paints and crayons should come in "the full range of flesh tones", reflecting the diversity of the human race, according to the former teacher."

Singleton is a charlatan. He pushes the White Guilt Button, white people fall for it, and he makes money from it. Think about it. White people actually pay Singleton to tell them how uncaring and unqualified they are. What a con.

However, teachers or White teachers owe your Black son - nothing - but to teach him the same curriculum they teach the other 29 students in their classes.

Which Black leader, mother, father, grandfather, grandmother is going to teach Black males how to be a father to the kids they help produce or the 72% of Black women who are single mothers with no Black father in their child's life?

So in order to "relate to Black males", does the teacher have to understand vulger hip-hop music that spew the N-word every other sentence along with every choice four letter word and lyrics that demean women blaring from a car that anyone within 50 feet can hear it?

Do they have to understand the nature of a Black male who is walking down the street with their ass hanging ou their pants while holding them up with one hand?

Years ago, I remember a principal taking his teachers on a school bus through the neighborhoods most of the kids came from. That was quite the disaster. He was unable to describe what he expected for them to come away with. Theythen drew the conclusion that he wanted them to understand not to expect these kids to have any support from their home environment. That they woul dhave ot teach to a lower level because many were 3 or more grades behind in reading and math.

Many and many a time since I have heard similar stories repeated again and again by my friends. I believe nearly all white men take, and expect to take, undue liberties with their colored female servants—not only the fathers, but in many cases the sons also. Those servants who rebel against such familiarity must either leave or expect a mighty hard time, if they stay. By comparison, those who tamely submit to these improper relations live in clover. They always have a little“spending change,” wear better clothes, and are able to get off from work at least once a week—and sometimes oftener. This moral debasement is not at all times unknown to the white women in these homes. I know of more than one colored woman who was openly importuned by white women to become the mistresses of their white husbands, on the ground that they, the white wives, were afraid that, if their husbands did not associate with colored women, they would certainly do so with outside white women, and the white wives, for reasons which ought to be perfectly obvious, preferred to have their husbands do wrong with colored women in order to keep their husbands straight! And again, I know at least fifty places in my small town where white men are positively raising two families—a white family in the“Big House” in front, and a colored family in a “Little House” in the backyard. In most cases, to be sure, the colored women involved are the cooks or chambermaids or seamstresses, but it cannot be true that their real connection with the white men of the families is unknown to the white women of the families

I taught for an overwhelmingly African-American school district adjacent to Washington D.C. My initial experience was one of cultural shock despite taking "Cultural Understanding and Awareness" in college. From a cultural standpoint, there isn't a college course or a seminar on the face of the planet that could have adequately prepared me to understand the black population of high school students I taught. The racial tension was so thick at the high school where I taught that students initially separated themselves by race in all my classes, in the lunchroom, on sport teams, in clubs and everywhere else. Fortunately, I had 4 years of college level teaching experience under my belt so I felt confident teaching my subject area. The school district I worked for presented me a countywide excellence in teaching award after working only 6 months.

What I learned:

What I learned from this experience is that knowing your subject area in depth and knowing how to teach your subject area is the most important thing a teacher needs to know. There isn't anything more important than knowing your subject area and having the skills to teach that subject area - nothing. A teacher who has the knowledge and skills to do these two things IN ADDITION to having a passion to share their knowledge with others doesn't need the distraction of a seminar or a course on diversity. Learning to work with diverse students encompassing every definition of the word (race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, geographic location, religion, income level, exceptionalities, age, etc.) comes with the territory of being a teacher. A good teacher learns to quickly adapt to the culture and environment they are working in without excuses. A good teacher carries on and teaches their subject area/grade level wherever they are regardless of circumstances. Teaching is about subject matter and having the passion and skills necessary to share and communicate your knowledge - it's really not anymore complicated then this.

Our educational system doesn't need one more courageous conversation, in-service, course, seminar, workshop, or pow-wow on the topic of diversity. Enough. This is part of the problem. What teachers do need is a supportive environment with great leadership that allows them to teach their subject area/grade level as competent individuals provided with ongoing skill development and training in specific content areas. Stop treating teachers like nincompoops and start treating teachers with the respect they deserve and with the level of professional competency they've earned.

10:06 To Alicia, Amen! You got it right. Teach ALL children the subject matter confidently and enthusiastically. Good teachers do their best to get students excited about learning and encourage personal accountablity, no matter the race. Too bad that does not go on in most people's homes though.

One of the VERY best teachers I ever had was a woman named Carol Foster who was a school teacher with the D.C. Public School system. I met Carol while teaching adjunct at the University of the District of Columbia where I taught modern dance and ballet. Carol taught African dance. Carol Foster later founded the D.C. Youth Ensemble which serves low-income African-American students in the D.C. area. I worked for the D.C. Youth Ensemble for two summers. Carol's expertise as a public school teacher in addition to her African-American heritage was invaluable to me. Carol taught me additional content area skills I didn't have even with a Master's degree but also life-lessons that no college professor with a PhD could have ever provided me. Therefore, I think it's important to have a diverse teaching force that reflects America's diverse student population. Teachers learn from each other by teaching alongside each other and with each other. Carol and I connected through our shared passion of content area - not through a Diversity in Education course or through a courageous conversation led by a highly paid facilitator hawking his next book deal.

CMS' 71% white teaching force is lower then the national average which is closer to 85-95%. I wish Mr. Singleton would spend his time and energies focused on encouraging more people of color to choose education as a professional endeavor. If people of color aren't passing the Praxis exams necessary to become licensed teachers (one part of the complex problem), then we need to do whatever it takes to help those individuals meet those standards. We don't lower the standards, we help raise people up to meet the standards. Once we do this, anything is possible.

So the lady with the son that was in CMS pre-school program and had to pull him out... Why was he not in a private pre-school like most of us put our children in?

Also, if WHITE teachers need to take training on treatment of black kids, then should they not also receive training for every single nationality or color? Where do you draw the line? And what about kids who have a black parent and a white parent? Wow, that's a lot of training! But African American people scream for equality! But yet they want their kids now to be treated with special handling coming only from teachers trained in handling of black kids... Give me a break! You can't have it both ways! Equality is equality!

My wife has Hispanic, African American, Indian and white kids in her class. She treats every one the exact same, and has for many years. I though MLK wanted equality?? Now you guys want something else it seems... The cycle will never end.

Is equality having NAACP? I bet if I started the NAAWP awards, the protests would be mindboggling! And imagine if I said I don't want my kid to be taught by an African American teacher! It would be the headline in the paper! I would be run out of town. Attempt at equality has been made and obviously that was not what was desired... Effort must come from both sides, which it obviously has not.

And to the poster commenting on the white/black doctors. In my two decades of hospital consulting, I've never heard a black patient come in the ER, etc... and ask for a black doctor. I wonder why they don't do that... Two guesses and the first doesn't count... That's one of the few areas where they don't feel like white people can't "relate" to them...

God put us on this Earth to raise childen....... Do it properly and we all grow, do it not and...well you already know.

as a veteran teacher who has spent workin gin schools of color..... with a very good recored btw, i am offended this man thinks this way.

who says all white teachers are middle class.... if there is a poor one are they more likely to be successful with students of color is that what he is saying?? and a more well off white teacher is insensitive to issues of children... no matter what color?bull.

and as being a child of color instantly means upon birth that you are destined to be less capable, less driven than anyone else??? i think not. they are taught how to fail. not to succeed at home prior to being in school if that is the case... and it is not for many.

if it is true, are we not to try to lift them out of that world by showing them alternatives of how to be and how to live and go about their business?... are students going to be any less black brown or whatever because they are taught to emulate a white person while being successful???? having teacher "behave" more like socioeconomically challeged children.... which in itself is a terrible stereotype that should ne eliminated, is foolish at best and most likely MORE harmful....labels do nothing but give people excuses when they fail.... and failure is how you learn.

sorry for the typos and grammar above. i couldn't get all the things i wanted to say out fast enough.... and i have more believe me.... this kind of thinking is just one of the many reasons that no matter how hard we fight in schools we still have a growing poverty problem in society.. put the blame where it lies for once and all and this nation will prosper more than you can believe.... diversity will truly be a strength..... veteran teacher... submitted by a 17 plus years educator in urban schools trying to make a difference

Whiteness, White Privilege, White Middle Class Teachers--apparently all bad. So what exactly are some blacks (and some guilt ridden whites) seeking for children of color? They claim to want them to be "successful". But apparently they do not want them being successful using the middle class model that so many others (Asians, recently immigrated blacks, and more and more Hispanics, etc.) adhere to. Why is that? And where is that attitude going to eventually get these children?

wow, I am amazed at the diversity of comments! I volunteer at an elementary school about 6 miles from where our 10 y/o is at Ballantyne elem. It boggled my mind that a rap video was shown to teach alliteration which is one of the easiest thing to learn in English. When I taught 4th grade in Virginia, we just used tongue twisters and the students understood immediately..and my class was 85% black/Filipino. Yet after this rap video, half of the students still didn't know what alliteration was! There are black/Hispanic kids at Ballantyne as well..should that rap video be used there? I read the one irate mother's rant about her son..she is INVOLVED even if her grammar and spelling are poor. The majority of the battle in education must be fought at home and NOT at school because truly, the apple does not fall far from the tree for anything in life. IF the parents care about education, chances are good the child will as well. If the basic struggle is to just put food on the table and a roof over their heads, probably not. Maybe Mr. Singleton would prefer the black female sub that I worked with the other day who was teaching "hyper-BOWL" instead of hyperbole and telling them that sentences that were actually similes or personification were hyperbowls? I still shudder when I think of it and even though I was just a volunteer tutor, I found a tactful way to explain what it was and said it correctly. Teachers only have maybe 4 hrs. a day to truly teach, the rest is transporting, specials, bathroom and lunch breaks. What HAS to be taught really happens at home with reinforcement, reading together, helping with HW, sending the child to school on a REGULAR basis and keeping in touch with the teachers. If that cannot be done, then no one like Mr. Singleton or any other race card big shot can make a difference either.

11:05, you must not have gotten the memo. Equality is different now for blacks. Equality means to have all the money, success, status, priviledges, homes, etc. without the hard work, sacrifice, integrity, honesty, personal responsibility, etc. most of us in the middle class got these by.

LOL Shamash! I feel sorry for the person who told black parents not to send their children to CMS because the teachers could care less. You could not be further from the truth. You have a sad soul that I hope finds happiness in the society we live in.

Is the future of thousands of Black Mecklenburg students blocked by thousands of White female CMS teachers? Clearly Glenn Singleton believes this and has targeted those teachers. Now it is a question of whether he has something valuable to say or whether he is going to bully them.

Dr. Morrison believes it to be the former, while issuing the disclaimer that he doesn’t subscribe to all the man has put forth. But it is difficult to understand how the PEG message won’t be heard negatively.

This is where I have a problem with hiring PEG.

The Superintendent says he doesn’t agree with everything Singleton has to say. As the top dog he can do that. But what are teachers going to do when they hear the same things?

Not for a minute do I believe the CMS HR department is going to be willing to service all the complaints. The department is likely to say, "Give the man a chance." In all likelihood the teachers are going hear, "shut-up, sit-down and listen." That if there is going to be a conversation, it is going to be about how the teachers are going to change. Professional Development that is not.

This is going to be a difficult process. This morning I sat in on the Board of Education’s Intergovernmental Committee. For 15 minutes the members and the attorneys discussed the process for dismissing a teacher. This wasn’t about Singleton. It was about charter schools. Removing a teacher can take years and involve appeals to the State District Courts. Singleton will be gone by then….and CMS has a new problem.

So what’s being done to prevent this collision?

Heath says that preparing the staff and teachers for the context is at the heart of this being something good for CMS. I’ve spoken to many teachers and I agree. Recently I spoke with two young White female teachers who knew nothing about Swann or anything that concerned CMS, race and education since 1964. Not knowing that made it impossible for the two women to understand why Singleton would be in Charlotte. Now they know and at least have some context.

The Superintendent is using his weekly staff email, Friday Focus, to get the context message across. I believe he should share that with the whole community. He should do that because ever since Swann the CMS, race and education discussion has been a public one here. He must provide everyone the context. Else no one is on the same page, let alone the same book: Courageous Conversations.

This is about the brainwashing sessions of two "racist" white female teachers as interpreted by a bunch of students of "Critical White Studies", or rather:

"The purpose of this article is to examine the events that led up to Hayden andVictoria, two White elementary teachers, coming to understand how theirWhite racial identities influenced their teaching of children of color during ayearlong series of three courses."

See if this nauseates you as much as it did me...

--------------

Oh, and if any of these race-baiting morons EVER BRING UP BANDAIDS...

Please note that BANDAIDS COME IN SEVERAL SHADES OF BROWN TO BLACK NOW...

Apparently, only race-baiting fools don't know this.

-------------

Oh, and while you're at it, ask Morrison what evidence he has that PEG did a SINGLE THING to improve the "performance gap" the LAST TWO times he was hired.

I am white.My ancestors came to this country in 1917. They were serfs in their native country long after the end of slavery in the US. They came to here speaking 5 languages - English was not one of them. Their children graduated high school and their grandchildren graduated college. Their great-grandson is an English Teacher who teaches your children here in Charlotte regarless of their color. He is white, and not one of his ancestors had their "way" with the help but you can't tell that by stereotyping him. ALL people deserve respect

Bolyn, You say that ever since Swann in 1964 the conversation here has been a public one. Yet here comes Heath telling us all it's time to have "important conversations" on race. As if it had never been discussed. I personally don't buy into what Glenn Singleton has to say, but perhaps if Heath Morrison could back off his "courageous conversation" agenda and openly and honestly say to the entire community "I know you've had many conversations like this over the years; so far nothing has worked; this is just one more try", people might be a little less angry. Instead Heath seems to be setting himself up as the "white" knight who has charged into town to save his black subjects and set his white subjects straight. Not a way to be well received!

@ 9:22 am - Not that it matter or it is any of your business. He was seperated according to the teacher so he would not be easily distracted.

When I talk about these skills being taught, the teachers can benefits for all races. This is not about black males it about cross culture training.

I go into the classrooms, I talk to parents, I talk to educators, and I talk to leaders in CMS. If you talk to the right people they would tell you this is very real. I was advised by an Admistrator and several teachers in CMS to withdrawal my son from the CMS preschool.

Excuse me if my experience with my son have not been yours, but I have seen first hand what this lack of understanding can do for a child. As a parent if I do not advocate for my son no one else will.

It is funny how your mind immediately goes to behavioral issues. Some things are not behavioral related. Teachers need to understand that teaching is not a ONE SIZE FITS ALL. Children learn differently, and they need to be able to adapt. Relating to your students has nothing to do with talking about basketball or music. It is about meeting the child at their point of need. That takes skills. As a teacher you should want to sharpen your skills. Why would you be oppose to this training.

Most teachers these days do not go into teaching for the love of teaching. You do not get that kind of dedication. They go into it for a paycheck. If it is for the money they have lost the point, because it is about the children (the FUTURE).

Where people come from, the culture they grew up in and the soceity in which we live impacts our lives. If cross culture training is not apart of the curriculum for teachers it needs to be incooperated and it needs to be a requirement for continue education.

@ 9:43 am - If you think that relating to a black male is about that small percentage of the Africian American community that particate in this behavior and things you mention you are truely closed minded.

Please understand their are people of all racist that are represented in your comments. If you judge all Africian American from that small percentage you are narrowed minded.

You are correct we do not approve of vulgar music, disrespecting authority, all of the above. He comes from a home of educated Africian Americans and he is taught what it is to be a good citizen. I do not teach my son about racism or the color of peoples skin. Several of his best friends are white and I have bi-racial slibing. He has been expose to this caterogizing and labeling at school. To say it does not exist is lying, just read the comments about music, sports, and clothing. I do not have to explain myself to anyone. Reality is reality.

To answer the one comment he was in a private preschool until he was placed in a CMS Magnet school that took four year olds. He was pull out and places back into a private preschool.

I have not had the time to read any of his literature, but I do not think is is a bad thing to have conversations about expectations about students, as often they are based in class and race. Ruby Payne has been using similar verbage about issues around race and class for year! If you are a non-educator look her up.

The reality is that we do have a lot of new teachers that are not familiar with all the issues that come with urban schools. This is at a time when focusing on student achievement for all kids is that much more important than pushing just one set or subset of students. Read into that what you may.

Vitrol like what I see posted is part of the reason why these conversations need to be had. In open forum, with those folks who are accountable to ensuring that students are taught and that make policies that govern the system. And news flash it is not just about whites vs. blacks, never was. This is a class issue. Middle class values are what we look to schools to impart to students. This is not bad, but how do we get kids to buy into an idea that is by and large not meant to incorporate their issues and concerns?

As a teacher, I have worked with many different groups of kids and faculty. Most wont say this, but you can go into almost any faculty lounge and within 15 mins of the dismissal bell you can tell exactly which teachers are invested in the school and with their students. Which ones have students that come back for tutoring? Which ones do the kids see as mentors, which ones go up to check with guidance (or have the right number to call) a kid that was absent today? Which ones are packing to leave out the door?

Based on some comments, this is not the job of a teacher, yet increasing this (and a WHOLE lot more)is what is demanded of them. This has to be recognized and appreciated.

As for the use of music. Kids have been using mnemonic devices and songs to learn every thing from ABC's to the Periodic Table. What makes this instructional strategy wrong? One commenter was upset about Electric Company, really? It is a program meant to help teach reading! Just because you can't understand it does not mean that it does not help. I have an eight year old that still watches it on ocassion and it is one of the few programs that has redeeming educational value for that age group.

Someone else mentions that "black sub" that used "hyperbowl" instead of hyperbole. That is bad, but using tested practices such as these, can and often do lead to better student achievement. Use of "hyberbole" does not. Did you try to correct the "sub" if not I hope you left a note for the reg teacher to explain the difference.

BTW, I am a teacher and like many teachers do not have the time at present to expound on every single issue tnat I saw in the thread, but the conversations thatMorrison is trying to have are indeed critical to ALL STUDENT SUCCESS in this district. We have to be willing to look at our culture of low expectations and see how it is doing more damage than good. Blaming the kids and the parents only goes so far. After all, our students are all graduating with CMS Diplomias.

This whole discussion is about the perceived White racism that exists in teachers because they can't relate to other ethnicities and no one can seem to tell us why they believe that, especially Singleton.

I also stated in another post, the facts about single Black mothers (72 Percent of African-American Children Born to Unwed Mothers) and fatherless Black children.

So the fact that 72% of Black women are unwed is not a factor? Are you in the 72% or 28%?

I can't recall the last time I've heard a White kid playing the same rap music as I have heard coming from cars being driven by Black males. They do listen to it but I've never heard it blaring from a car.

Nor have I seen as many White kids with their pants down around their ankles.

And I don't expect a teachers conference EVERY TIME my son is disciplined by a teacher.

I've been around kids who misbehave, see, and that is the FIRST things most teachers will do with them...

So it was NOTHING UNUSUAL.

Also...

I SERIOUSLY doubt that people become teachers just for the money.

More people probably stay away from teaching because of the money.

It would have been a waste of my math degree, financially, to become a teacher.

The biggest problem with all this cultural sensitivity training is that there are so many cultures and no one is expert in them all.

I doubt that your corporate diversity training is worth spit.

I know because I've been through corporate diversity training, too, and it does not compare to what I have learned through living and traveling in other countries and working with a WIDE variety of people.

To me, you see, "diversity" is not just about "black and white"...

Or "Hispanic" for that matter.

And even WITHIN any given "culture" there are children who learn differently.

So everyone has a problem because everyone deviates from the norm in some way or the other.

Most just don't make a federal case out of it or cry "discrimination".

Unless they really have some proof.

And you, apparently, don't.

I haven't seen you present a single reason why simply being "black" has posed a problem for your son in the schools.

And you're right. I really don't care.

Except that you've made some claims that require some evidence for anyone with any sense to believe.

Is there anything SPECIAL about being BLACK and being "distracted"?

Or is this just a problem with your son who just happens to be black and distracted?

Just like my son is non-black and gets distracted and misbehaves and needs to be separated from others from time to time.

At 3:22You want to blame teachers and you say you are one? How can you blame teachers who have 28 kids in a classroom (of all races and classes) when it comes to personal attention and "investment in the school"? Isn't teaching a job, just like being a lawyer, trash man, etc...? Because teachers are paid below $45k per year (normal teachers without tenure) they should be more invested in their jobs than other workers? Is it the teacher's fault when little Billy comes in every morning without doing his homework, or is dropped off at school with pink eye, and shows no respect to the teacher? Try again...

Quite honestly, what I'm hearing when I here Singleton talk about the need for white teachers to learn how to teach a diverse audience (namely african-american), is to "dumb it down". Several of the comments left here, while they may appear to be "racist" to the african-american community are largely true. Unfortunately, some stereotypes aren't such, but a reflection of reality. White parental involvement is higher in schools, higher in their children's lives, usually involves a two-parent family, or joint parental engagement even if separated. While african-americans lack the involvement, lack a role model, distracted by other events, and the spiral of not becoming educated is passed from generation to generation. The solution is not to "dumb down" the curriculum to raise up students who don't exert the effort and certainly not move poor performers to high performing schools to take advantage of white parent engagement. The answer is parental engagement and to stop placing the burden on white parents of performing students at performing school to fix what they won't fix. The african-american community needs to stop blaming everyone else and clean up their act first. If we're going to have an honest dialogue, let's call it like it is.

If this is the answer, then leave African-American kids in inner city schools taught by African American teachers -- somehow, that hasn't worked, and African-American always want to move away from that and send kids to schools where they can learn from white teachers and be motivated by white kids. So who is Singleton speaking for? Stop busing kids and problem solved.

All white teachers, students and parents should leave CMS if this racist is hired.

CMS and the City of Charlotte is headed down the path of Detroit thanks to these racist hucksters who benefit from inflicting misery on black students. As long as the honkey can be blamed, Singleton and the simpletons that follow his racist preachings will all be happy.

If tax dollars go to support the racists, will they also go to white supremacists? Equality right?

I teach and view all of my students as capable, regardless of their races. The problem is not with educators, the #1 factor in a child's success is a solid parental influence. Raising children is hard, no doubt. Solid, stable families are instrumental in a child's attitudes towards learning. Where expectations fail, so too will the student. That said, no one has failed these young, troubled African-American males more than their fathers. This failure of the family, however, is not singular to African Americans. When young males lack a stable male force in their life, they are likely to struggle. Mr. Singleton should focus his efforts on the family. Heal the family, heal the child.

if you read my post about "hyper-bowl" then you should know I did indeed correct the sub and gave the children correct illustrations of gross exaggerations. I also let the teacher know via email. As far as one writers son being removed because he was distracted, it is possible the teacher removed him or changed his seating with the goal of removing distractions so that he could stay on task and maybe get his work done? Just a thought!

3:49, did the superintendent@ address not work for you? And have you gotten through using the one you posted? He has the superintendent one for feedback and also has one using his name, but I don't think you've got it right. Let me know if superintendent does not work.

So now we spend taxpayer money on training white teachers how to teach and deal with black students?

What about the other races of teachers that teach black students in CMS? Do they need training and classes for instruction just for this race or is it ONLY white teachers? Do white teachers need training only for this race or should they also take classes on how to reach and teach other races such as asian or latino or ect?

Did the Federal and State Government just approve Ebonics in the curriculum and not tell anyone? Is English and not Ebonics or Spanish still our national language?

So many questions and so many trillions spent since LBJ to still have the same answer. BLAME OTHERS especially if they are white.

CMS BOE should only hire graduates of CIAA schools. Just think how much better our students would perform. Attendance at CIAA tournament events would increase. Maybe the CRVA can add in some (bribe) money to help hiring CIAA grads.If there aren't enough CIAA grads we could supplement with the UNC African-American studies students who don't get NFL or NBA contracts.Yeah, that's the ticket. And I didn't even charge millions of dollars. Of course I am available (this time for a fee) to provide white culture indoctrination for the newly hired CIAA grads in any white students remain in CMS.

I am a teacher and this makes me mad as hell. There is no supervision or parenting at home for the black students who want to be street thug rappers.

This disgusting man who is the topic of this article, makes me sick to my stomach. As a woman, I would slap his face for attempting to reverse the blame and put it on whites. The problems are the black thug students. There will be no learning for anyone until they are either changed or removed. Remember though, it is not our responsibility to change everything just to relate to thug minded juveniles. I'll be damned if we will let that happen.

Having taught at Wilson Middle School, Spaugh Jr. High, J.T. Williams, and Harding High for 37 years, I feel INSULTED that the hypocrites of CMS are bringing up the "race" issue with white teachers. Most teachers do the best they can with what they have==the support of the BOE, the support of most of the "ill-prepared prinipals and support staff at the schools where one teaches. The major problem in CMS is the home enviroment from which most of the black students come. The problem is worse now that back in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. The DRUGS, the electronic era, the failure of the colleges to prepare education majors with real-life examples of teaching, the morale of teachers, the NC General Assembly cutting monies to school districts, the leadership of the SUPERINTENDENT, the lack of respect and authority of BOTH adults and students, the lack of ethnic education by the "so-called" principals and staff and the young teachers in CMS, the lack of positive help from Singleton, Jackson, Mayor Fox, Dr. Ron Carter, Sharpton, and even former Mayor Gantt are all factors in this mess. CMS should NOT hire someone with the views of Singleton. If they do, then all need to resign as well as Dr. Morrison for bringing up this RACIST mess. I love my students--black, white, mixed, Latino, Asian, etc. I knew my subject matter, taught it, and had some disciple problems but not that many. I didn't bother the principal or the assistant principal;I took care of 90% of my disciple problems. Dr. Morrison is too YOUNG to be a superintendent. He was just like the "crazy" Gorman that tried to change CMS but didn't know what to do. He got his retirement and was gone within a month of that. Please realize CMS is going to have to reach the parents of these students and make BOTH--the students and parents-- realize the importance of an education now more than ever with the way the economy is and will be for a long time to come. Don't count on our King McCrory and his followers to do anything about education. They have aready hit the lower class and they will continue to do so as long as they are in office. CMS is hiring too many young teachers who really are not able to take care of themselves. The educational level of being a teacher has been lowered. Most lateral entry teachers, TEACH AMERICA teachers are not REAL teachers. BEING A TEACHER IS A 'GIFT' FROM GOD just like being an artist, a singer, a NBA player, a NFL player, a NBL player, etc. These people were given their talent from God and that is what they do for a living. Most of the middle class and upper middle class don't care what goes on in CMS because they already have their sons and daughters in private school or in charter schools. It is up to the BOE and the superintendent to find a way to get CMS back on the road to learning and teaching the students they are charged with teaching. If Dr. Morrison intends to bring up this issue and persue it, then he needs to resign and go on. He will make RACE his primary concern in CMS without regard to giving these students an education for the future. That Ann Clark needs to retire and go on too. She has been in a top position in CMS for too long and continues to create problems for teachers and principals. Dr. Morrison, you are charged with a way to get these students an education and all of these boards you have created and visits you make isn't doing the job. Have you put in a decent day's work since you have been Superintendent of CMS???? Have you? It seems you have a paycheck coming in each month and you show no evidence you have done anything. It seems you are going to open PANDORA's BOX and our students are going to suffer for it. GET TO WORK, Dr. Morrison. Stop all of this foolishness about race. Do your job: EDUCATE THESE STUDENTS. That is the bottom line. Who cares what Glenn Singleton says about white teachers. I am sure there is someone who feels the same about black teachers.

The only thing the Latino knows about them is the buffet they go to every weekend at Mama Fus.

How do we solve this outrage.Who else can CMS bring in and pay thousands of dollars to in solving this disgrace?

Lets see. Are we up to a million yet? Must keep spending more. Perhaps another survey? Maybe we could create some more tests and analyze some more data. For certain we could freeze more salaries and cut benefits until we show an increase for this race.

5:03With 37 years of experience, I'm not disputing your point of view. I think many of your opinions are valid and truthful.

However, I believe the most effective teams of teachers include a mixture of veterans, mid-career and new teachers. A new teacher can be a 60-year-old. A veteran teacher can be a 29-year-old. I don't have a problem with lateral-entry teachers (middle - high school specialty area) as long as they are put on a probation period with plenty of team support and the right kind of oversight. I don't know how the heck anyone can teach elementary school without sufficient training and student teaching experience. I don't care if you gradated magna cum laude from Brown. If you've never taught, I don't want you "teaching" my 3rd grader. A 22-year-old right out of college with no teacher training or student teaching experience has NO business standing in front of a classroom of K-5th grade kids. They might be FANTASTIC teaching AP Physics to a group of gifted high school students but not a classroom of 2nd graders. This would not be OK with me. I would not feel comfortable having my child assigned to a TFA teacher in elementary school. I would insist my child had a traditionally licensed teacher. If a public school were unable to accommodate my request, I'd raise hell.

Again, I'd be fine with a TFA teacher standing in front of my child's AP Environmental Science or AP Art History class. I would NOT be OK with a TFA teacher standing in front of my child's elementary school classroom. I don't care if a TFA teacher is blue, pink, green or purple.

As a CMS parent and teacher who is black, I had a teacher tell me that she didn't know I was a parent who cared. His father and I had requested(ignored) to see the tests so we could review the problems and questions he had problems with( we wanted him switched to another teacher but were denied). My son at the time was in the 6th grade, honor roll student with level 4's in math. That year my son told me he no longer liked math and actually scored a low level 3. I believe CMS is like our society, we have some teachers who are great and some that are awful. I personally would like to see CMS isolate the "thugs" who disrupt the learning environment and I don't care what their race is. Also I would prefer that CMS return my step raise before paying any more consultants and putting up fences.

Heath Morrison will not hire Glenn Singleton because, as this enormous series of blog posts shows, Singleton is a lightning rod. Ann might want to note that Singleton's views are "nuanced." But most people are not going to want to hear this guy drone on and on for years about how "whiteness" is to blame for holding back minorities.

The fact that Heath Morrison would even consider hiring somebody like this is the most interesting part of the story. With the hiring of Morrison, the era of education reform is over. And the era of bleeding heart liberalism has just begun.

“ Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important...they do not mean to do harm...they are absorbed in their endless struggle to think well of themselves. ”— T.S. Eliot

Anonymous said... "Exactly what does your black male child "need" that is different from, what an Asian male child needs?

Is it the Singleton PEG approach?

Would a black teacher be better?

Are black teachers better?

Do you think an African drumming class for black and brown boys only would help (seriously, they do this...)?

Do you have specifics?"These comments are perfect examples of the lack of understanding of how to create an educational environment that demonstrates respect and value for a culture that is not white. There is so much more that can be done for non-white children such as raising expectations, learning about their culture in a comprehensive in-depth manner, and abandoning the stereotypical thinking about cultural differences as expressed in the comment about drumming classes. Teachers must broaden their minds about cultural diffences, learn the origins of their own culture and why they believe they way they do positively or negatively and admit that they know very little about racial and cultural differences. The commentary borders on insulting, if not dismissive. Teachers must learn the true meaning of racism, not just throw the word around loosely when they read/hear commentary they don't like. They must understand that race is a social construction that has marginalized some and advantaged others. They must understand the dilemma of stigmatized groups in this society and around the world, a stigma which has its roots in colonization, imperialism, enslavement, and disenfranscisement. So what do you do differently for black students you ask, you respect them in the same way you would affluent white children whose parents understand their power position and who can leverage their power in the interest of their child. You treat black children as if their parents understood that in essence public school teachers are their to serve the public. You challenge black children with enriching, accelerated instruction and advocate for opportunity in all areas of the curricular and instructional program. You give them feedback on their strengths and you help them develop their weakness. You abandoned the deficit perspective that I hear in so much of the comments posted here evidenced by blaming parents, students and their communities, and you roll up you sleeves, and teach, do the job for which you are compensated for once or twice a month. You build your content knowlege and your pedagogical repertoire and behave as if you have a sense of humilty. You teach black children the way you would want your child taught. You stop looking for every mistake they make as a character flaw and understand they are just children, you do remember your child development courses of course? You get to know your families and ask them what are their goals for their children. Finally, you develop a sense of humility and learn the true, deep meaning of respect. If these comments represent any public school teachers, I am more ashamed of you than I am Glen Singleton, PEG, of Charlotte's superintendent. Finally, the comments indicate that you clearly have no idea how racist they sound, which goes back to the need to develop a clear understanding of the meaning of the word.

There are some truly ignorant comments in this blog. I feel sorry for so many of the people who weighed in on the subject. It is more evidence of the failure of public schools historically, because the hosility, when combined with the ignorace shows that the individuals espousing so much hatred is indeed illustrative of the inability to engage in critical discourse. Why so much hatred against black people? That in an of itself is telling?

There are some grossly ignorant comments on this blog, and if any of them are from teachers, no wonder public education is in the state its in because the teachers have profound deficits. Why so much hatred and hostility against black students/peoples in general? One thing these comments demonstrate clearly is that racism is alive and it is embodied in public school teachers.

A few commenters have suggested we need to hire Glenn Singleton because young teachers haven't received sufficient diversity training. So it's not about White teachers after all its about old teachers screwing everything up? Isn't this agism?

Your over-sensitivity to a few honest comments and questions shows one of the main problems with "diversity" training.

The "Ready, Fire, Aim" approach to dialogue with an apparently ASSUMED "whitey" (as you've just demonstrated) is a biggie.

Seems that the "diversity" consultants have ALL these canned explanations for something as complex as culture.

And they pretend to know it all and blame "whitey" for SO much.

So anyone can be attacked as not understanding "non-white" cultures for asking honest questions like

"Do you have any specifics?"

Even if you do not know if they are WHITE OR NOT.

Maybe the person asking that question is Asian.

Asians can ask questions, too.

Or hasn't your "diversity" training taught you about that?

"There is so much more that can be done for non-white children such as raising expectations, learning about their culture in a comprehensive in-depth manner, and abandoning the stereotypical thinking about cultural differences as expressed in the comment about drumming classes."

Also, those "drumming classes" are EXACTLY what PEG/Singleton and other "anti-racists" have recommended.

But ONLY for BROWN/BLACK BOYS.

And usually NOT ASIANS.

Since "Asians" in Singleton/PEG mythology are already under whitey's control and do whitey's bidding by doing so well in school.

"Stereotypical thinking" anyone?

Seems that PEG/Singleton have done quite a bit of that themselves.

But you should investigate what they've done.

And ask for specifics.

Yes. Even about the drumming classes.

Even if asking for "specifics" is seen as "racist"...

As I can assure you it is.

As is "individualism", and "future-time" orientation.

And you can save your lecture on "colonization, imperialism, enslavement, and disenfranscisement" for some fool who hasn't "been there, done that".

First, you might try finding some "ethnic" group which HAS NOT experienced these things before you start automatically labeling them as a "non-white" phenomenon.

The main difference is that we don't study the Irish Potato Famine and the Scottish Highland Clearances in school anymore.

So every fool out there can claim that ALL white people came to the US as rulers of the world.

So all the little black and brown kids don't realize how many "white privileged" people came to the New World under less than ideal conditions, either.

But that is typical of the lies and misrepresentations the "anti-racist" "diversity" consultants must use to implement their agendas.

An Ann Arbor elementary school principal used a letter home to parents tonight to defend a field trip for black students as part of his school’s efforts to close the achievement gap between white and black students.

“The intent of our field trip was not to segregate or exclude students as has been reported, but rather to address the societal issues, roadblocks and challenges that our African American children will face as they pursue a successful academic education here in our community.”

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Oh, yeah, it will take LOTS of "special opportunities" to erase centuries of "white privilege"...

I'd rather spend money on African drumming and other musical instrument classes where students can learn about different cultures through hands-on activities then spending it on Mr. Singleton. African drumming is a skill. African dance is a skill. Cultural awareness and diversity are not skills. I learned far more about African culture in African dance classes with African drummers then I did in Cultural Understanding and Diversity in Education classes. Ditto for ballet, modern dance, and jazz.

The closest I can think of would be a "death rattle" or maybe St. Vitus dance.

Perhaps if their medications wore off (detox?)...

Yeah, I wouldn't have a problem with drumming/music classes open to everyone.

As long as it didn't come with a heavy dose of indoctrination or outright discrimination as the lunchtime BLACK/BROWN BOYS ONLY drumming class instituted by the "PB&J is racist" principal Verenice Gutierrez in Portland, OR.

I also wouldn't mind expanding the "History Month" concept a bit as well.

Why can't everyone have a month?

Then we can all just sit around eating our racist PB&J sandwiches and enjoy some drumming.

8. Freedom Summer 1964: How college students from diverse backgrounds risked their lives to secure voting rights for black citizens in Mississippi.

9. Under the Same Roof and Stars: Explores the changes that have taken place because of personal relationships and experiences made possible, in part, by the strong relationship that exists between Habitat for Humanity and Humanity El Salvador.

Why aren't we spending our money on extended field trips rich in educational opportunities offered at places like this? We need to fly in an "expert" from the Pacific Coast? To teach children what?

In it, a blogger details some of the costs of various programs in the schools including these line items:

EPHS & CMS Step Dance $ 3,000.00

EHSI Folkloric Dance Group $ 3,000.00

And then goes on to point out that over $80,000 was spent on PEG projects.

That's a lot of dancing and drumming...

For nothing.

In conclusion the blogger says:

"Do you see how this works? Spend a ton of money with this company (Eden Prairie Schools is on pace to beat Hopkins in its spending with PEG,) and you will be rewarded with some resume-padding rewards and recognition. It's very much like the Mary Kay marketing model whereby one school brings in another and the conferences are used to generate new business and new leads.

$1.2 Million (and counting)...from Minnesota Taxapyers to this one company. No accountability, no results...just radical educational ideology being spread around. "

Alicia, If you check out the Levine Museum a little more closely you might find that they are fairly closely aligned to Mr. Singleton. They are very heavy on white guilt. They've had a very hard time letting go of busing--any displays about local issues manage to work in something about how wonderful this community was when we bused. I'm certain there's never been a display looking critically at all sides of the issue. The first time I went to the Levine for a field trip with my son's class to see from Cottonfields to Skyscrapers our guide, when describing life in a mill town, said "Church was very important in these communities. Now I'm not saying that's good or bad, but that was a fact of life." Why did she need a disclaimer in there? Most of Levine's take on Charlotte history post civil war is viewed through the lens of race.

The first field trip I took at the high school I taught at (adjacent to Washington D.C.) was to the Kennedy Center to see a rehearsal by the Dance Theatre of Harlem. I took students here because of their strong resistance to study a unit on ballet which almost all of my black students considered a racist art form. With the exception of one gay kid, all of my white students refused to attend the field trip because they viewed my choice as catering to my black students. My black students accused me of being racist for teaching ballet. My white students boycotting going to see a black ballet company because they thought I was catering to the school's black population. I can't make this stuff up.

Arthur Mitchell, the artistic director of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, came out and talked to students and gave them a brief history of black dance in American ballet. From here on out, I never had an issue or a problem teaching ballet to my black or white students. When it came time to teach units on other dance forms including those with black roots, none of my white students complained. It was about give and take and stopping class sometimes to discuss the intense racial tension in the class that permeated the rest of the school. On this front, I flew by the seat of my pants but by doing so, I think the dance room became a safe haven of authenticity where students could honestly express themselves. I can't say things ever reached a point of harmonious splendor but things certainly improved. It wasn't about saving the world. It wasn't about raising test scores. It was about creating an environment that allowed me to teach. I couldn't teach with students resenting each other and hating each other's guts.

I think hiring Glenn Singleton creates the potential for heightened discord rather than enduring peace. I don't believe he is the way or the answer.

Eden Prairie Schools:Ok, so they've got traditional Mexican/Central American dance and urban black dance covered. I don't see Irish dancing or Israeli folk dancing on the list. Middle eastern belly dancing? Nope. What about tap? Tap has an interesting history. Appalachian clog dancing? Country Western Line? Square dancing? My grandmother (the crazy artist-painter, not the school teacher) was forbidden to dance for religious reasons. She was locked in a closet for attending a school dance. This was OK back then based on diversity of religious beliefs. Her family didn't want her dancing with the devil.

All of Charlotte's following have educational outreach programs with goals aimed at attaining a greater understanding and knowledge of diverse cultures. We have everything we need to help teachers and students learn about and gain a greater appreciation of each other right in our own backyard.

NCDT's April Berry danced with the Alvin Ailey company. Jean Pierre Bonnefous (which he spelled two different ways over his career) dance with world renowned choreographer George Balanchine. African-American women, French-American white guy. I'm sorry Glenn Singleton had a bad experience in Baltimore City public schools but does he have to take it out on Charlotte? We need people who can facilitate peace not people who are likely to create greater discord.

NWSA's cast of The Color Purple is trying to raise enough money to attend a summer Shakespeare Festival. I'd much prefer my tax dollars went to something that directly benefits students with tangible results. The Color Purple also translates a profound cultural message as did West Side Story and a lot of other things this school has presented.

To my knowledge, the Levine Museum historian and author you are referring to is married to a UNC- Charlotte professor of architecture. The Levine Museum historian in question graduated from Yale and holds a PhD from UNC-Chapel Hill. Is she biased? No more or less than the rest of us.

I very distinctly remember a white KKK robe with a pointy hood on display when the Levine Museum of the New South first opened. The KKK robe had a badge on it similar to the Boy Scouts. The robe was on display near the entrance behind a piece of glass. The robe was an authentic artifact. You are free to interpret the Levine Museum's KKK robe at your own free will.

I think there are ample artistic and historic venues in Charlotte capable of representing a broad spectrum of cultural experiences and viewpoints that don't require the expertise of Glenn Singleton or his Pacific Education Group.

7:45I stand corrected. Carol and Pamela (who is also a historian) founded MeckACTS which I support on it's stance against excessive high-stakes testing. Do we really need to standardized test marching band? To my knowledge, MeckACTS hasn't promoted anything I find objectionalable. This group advocates for high-poverty schools and is against excessive high-stakes testing. Did I miss something? There are suburban groups advocating to split CMS up. I understand wanting to split CMS into smaller districts but I don't think this is likely to happen in the foreseeable future nor do I think this is the best way to address the complex issues associated with our public school system. I'm against forced busing, manipulated boundary lines, and support true neighborhood schools. I also realize this creates concentrations of high-poverty schools which are more difficult to staff and come with greater challenges. There are trade-offs to neighborhood schools. Some high-poverty schools have successfully been able to break the link between poverty, race and student achievement. Unfortunately, most high-poverty schools have not been able to break this link. I don't have the answers.

As far as the Levine Museum of the New South, people are free to interpret a KKK robe as they please. I think it's a terrible idea to hire Glenn Singleton. However, an exhibit like this one certainly gives me pause to think. Again, I think we have everything we need right here in Charlotte to have our own conversations without the intrusion or distraction of an outside organization.

In the meantime, there are a group of students who are trying to raise enough money to attend a prestigious Shakespeare Festival to present The Color Purple which can serve as a catalyst for all sorts of conversations.

Wow. If this comment thread is representative of the general population then PEG and basic critical race theory is badly needed in CMS! Persons' views on this thread are the type you find from White persons who don't have even a basic understanding of Race and society. Hopefully PEG can help foster knowlege and growth in this community.

Wow. I am stunned by the negative comments regarding Singleton. The defensiveness of the teachers, and others, posting here is alarming. It is clear that people posting on this blog are very invested in "the old way" of doing things, are closed minded, and based on comments, and sound racist too. There is a serious problem with how black/brown boys and men are treated at all levels of society - including in schools. There needs to be a shift, a concerted effort, to actively think differently about these children. Teachers are with these kids all day, and like it or not, are in the position of role model. Isn't it worth learning more? If you could learn something that will help all our boys and men be successful wouldn't you want to do it?